American Humanistic Buddhism

FAQ: Inside the Meditation Hall June 11, 2010

The meditation hall located on the first floor of the Guam Fo Guang Shan Temple is a center specifically designed for developing spiritual mindfulness, strengthening virtue, and raising the mental sensitivity of Buddhist devotees and lay practitioners. The eastern wall, seen as practitioners enter the room, contains a Buddha niche with an image of Sakyamuni Buddha. The western wall, between the two entry doors contains the seats designated for the Master of the Hall and Abbess of the Temple. In the Chan School of Buddhism, this seat area is known as the niche of purity. Situated around the sides are seat cushions for the people meditating, with the center of the hall left as a large open space for walking meditation sessions. The bell board, mediation staff, wooden fish, gong and small bell, are used for signals during meditation, indicating the time to prepare, to practice, to rest, and other actions within the hall.

(Meditation class is each Saturday at 2pm at the Fo Guang Shan temple in Guam.)